1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns polystyrene-based compositions comprising vegetal fibers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plastic-based compositions are useful for the storage of various products. Today, consumers are sensitive to the use of plastic substitutes, which would come from a vegetal source and be ecologic or perceived as ecologic. Among the currently available plastic substitutes, the vegetal materials for manufacturing alimentary containers often come from genetically modified plants, and are usually in competition with the alimentary content. Moreover, it would be useful to recycle agricultural waste. Said vegetal materials however do not have to be in competition with the alimentary content.
However, vegetal materials do not always fulfill technical requirements, such as the resistance to stretching and/or heating steps (typically performed upon thermoforming) or the resistance to mechanical constraints. When vegetal materials are used for manufacturing containers, like alimentary containers, said containers have to maintain their integrity during processing of the product and storage.
Vegetal materials are also useful because they may replace, at least in part, the use of plastics from oil base.
There is thus a need for a composition comprising vegetal materials and plastics, said composition allowing the manufacture of derived products being resistant to stretching and to vertical compression.